Benq's V2400W monitor looks great, especially when you consider that Benq is not a company previously known for its elegance in design.

The bezel is thin, as is the screen itself – it's one of the thinnest monitors we've ever seen, in fact. The stand is less good-looking, curving out at the rear and forming a stable base (although it doesn't look too stable, it holds up fine).

It has VGA, DVI and HDMI inputs, so you can connect both a PC and an Xbox 360 or PS3, for instance, although only a VGA cable is supplied in the box. Image quality is good, and the matt screen means there's no problem with reflection of bright light sources. Its resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels means that for a computer user it offers an enormous desktop, easily a match for those who use two monitors, while it's capable of displaying high-definition films in all their glory.

Controls, located in a row at the bottom-left, are easy to use, as are the on-screen menus. There's no doubt that £300 is a lot to pay for a screen – it's around £100 more than the cheapest models – but the Benq V2400W looks and performs a little better than the competition.

Vista compatible: Yes